Clothes-pressing machine.



D. H. BENJAMIN.

CLOTHES PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1915.

Patented Mal; 6, 1917.

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CLOTHES PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1915.

1,218,609. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1915.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

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CLOTHES PRESSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8.1915.

' Patented Mar. 6,1917.

DANA H. BENJAMIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GUGGENHEIM LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLOTHES-PRESSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DANA H. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Pressing Machines, of which the following is a speci l fcation.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes pressing machines and particularly to that class of such devices wherein the garments are subjected to pressure between heated members. Y

More specifically the invention relates to a clothes pressing machine comprising a frame, a lower buck supplied with steam from any suitable source, an upper buck or platen also supplied with steam, both of said bucks beingyieldingly mounted, and an intermediate movable buck adapted` to operate between the'ironing faces of the other bucks, the arrangement being such that while one garment is being pressed between the intermediate buck and the lower stationary buck, another may be placed upon the top of the former for enga gement with the upper buck, when the intermediate buck is released from the lower buck. y

The invention may be further'briefiy summarized as consisting inthe construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth in the following description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig.v 2 is a section through the several bucks; Fig. 3 is a left end elevation; Fig. 4 is a detail showing the yielding means for the upper buck; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of this device; Fig; 6 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the equalizer for the upper buck; Fig. 8 Iis an end view of the driving mechanism; Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of this driving mechanism; Fig. 10 is a top plan of the same; Fig. 11 is a detail' section of the pin structure; and Fig. 12 is an end view of the clutch member.

In carrying out the invention any preferred form and construction`of parts may be employed so long as it possesses the necessary characteristics, but I have shown one form in the drawings, which is effective, and

in such embodiment 1 represents a base provided with a stationarybuck standard 1 having an upper platform portion 2 prof vided with openings adapted to receive bolts 3, one arranged near each corner and all secured rigidly within a buck support 4. These bolts receive between the platform 2 and the base of the support 4 suitable springs 5. Below the platform 2 these bolts are proyided with nuts 6. The support 4 is cut inv from one end to form a recess 7 for ileceiving the portion of the garment which passes under this buck. Secured to the top of this support 4 is a lower ironing buck 8 preferably provided With a steam chamber 9 to be furnished with steam from any suitable source. l

To the rear of the standard 1 is a main operating shaft standard l0-and an auxiliary standard 11. These two standards are provided with bearings 12 and 13 respectively.

These bearings support a rock shaft 14 extending beyond both bearings, the portion extending .beyond the bearing 12 being ta# pered at`15 and reduced and threaded at 16 for a purpose to ybe described. `Mounted upon the rock shaft 14 are intermediate buck supporting brackets 17 and 18, the former being rigidly secured to the shaft just inside ofthe bearing 12, and the latter being rigidly secured to the shaftl just outside of the bearing 13. These two brackets are integral with an intermediate buck 19 pro vided with a steam chamber 20 to be supplied with steam from any 'suitable source, and in any suitable manner.l Loosely mounted upon the rock shaft 14 is an upper buck supporting bracket comprising side portions 21 spaced apart and each having at its outer end a shaft receiving portioni22, these two bearing portions receiving a shaft 23 which passes through eyes 24 preferably formed integral with the upper buck 25.. This upper buck has a steam chamber 26 therein. The

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shaft 23 isA held withiny the shaft receiving racket merge intoone .on the side of the shaft opposed tothe Iupper buck and form a boss 31 whichis slotted at 32 bar 43 which extends to the front of the machine and is there provided with a hand piece 44. The use of the tongue 42 and the bar 43 to which it is-connected will be described later. Above theblock 36 the shank -of the bolt is provided with a nut 4 5 engaging al spring 46. This spring thrusts against a washer 47 engaging the underside of the boss 31 while on the upper side of the boss thershank is provided with a nut 48 held in place by a check nut 49.

In order to transmlt pressure from the driving mechanism'to the bucks the tapered portion 15 ofthe shaft 14 is provided with a hub 50 having'a downwardly extending arm 51. This arm has at its lower end a fork 52 provided 'with a cam 53 on the outside ofthe end of eabh fork. The hub 50'is provided with a laterally extending arm 54 having -a counterweight 55 secured thereto. A suit.

able nut 56 holds the hub 50 in place, and the hub is fastened in any suitable manner to the tapered portion so that these parts rto operate the sha v Coperating with the cam 53 is suitable driving mechanism, and it comprises a bearing bracket 57 provided with a bearing porvtion`58 having a cap 59. This bearing re-A ceives a shaft 60 to which-is keyed a periph-l eral cam 61 in extent a little greater than a semi-circle.

Assuming that the parts arein the position shown in Fig. 3, the operator moves the intermediate member upward until it is in engagement with the upper buck, then places the garment upon the l'ower buck.

He thenshifts the intermediate buck until it engages upon the top of the garment .and applies power through mechanism' to be 'described, causing the cam 61 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3, and movethe arm `51 and the intermediate buck in a clockwise direction. This.

causes lpressure to be brought to' bear between the intermediate buck and the lower buck. 4The powerl mechanism is then released .'from the shaft 60.` J-

4The power transmitting mechanism employed for operating-the' cam 61 comprises,

a casing 62 vsecured-to the baseand adapted `to receive-the 'shaft 60,-,asl show'n in Fig. 9.

' This casing is provided with bearings 63 and 64 for supportin the shaft. andan upwardly Aextending caring l65'lin` the .bottom of the casing, fora purpose to'lbe described. The casing is also.provid ed l'with a suitable "9 and' 10, and ris there provided Awith a worm shaft bearing 66 extending outside of the casing, as shown in Fig. 10. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 60 4within the 4casing 62 and in the bearing 63 is a beveled gear 67 having in the side face thereof clutch pins 68 preferably four in number. Opposed p beveled teeth are suitable clutch pins 74 l similar to the pins 68. All of these pins col operate withl sockets l7 5 in the side faces of a movable clutch member 76 loosely splined upon the shaft 60. This movable clutch member 76 is provided with a groove 77 to be engaged by suitable Shifting mechanism to be described. Mounted in the bearing 65 is a trunnion 78 of a planetary beveled gear 79 l vwhich meshes with the beveled .gears 68 and 70. The shaft 60 extends through the bearing 64 and is there .provided with a clutchy shifting .disk 80 provided with a pair of diametrically disposed` shifting pin devices, and each of these devices consists'of va supporting boss 81preferably formed integral with the' disk 80 and adapted to receive ay pin 82 provided with a shoulder 83 for limitingthe movement to .the left', as shown in Fig. 11, and a cam engaging head 84.. Each pin is preferably provided with an opening 85 adapted'toreceive a spring 86 engaging a strip 87 held upon studs 88 formed integral with the boss 81, by screws 89. 'The normal .tendency of the pin is toward the left, as shown in Fig. 11.-v The cam engaging head 84 is engaged by a cam 90 which is secured to a lug 9.1 preferably cast integral with the casing 62. This cam is cut away at each end, as'shown at 92 inv Figs. 10 and 11, so as to permit l'the narrow portion of this camto engage behind the cam -engaging head 84. -It will be seen from this construction thatas the disk 80 rotates and onelof the -pins isA brought to the proper position, 1 its head will engage lthe cut-away portion 92 andcause the pin to be withdrawn from the disk, for a purpose which will later appear. v I

In order to shift the cilutch member 76,

suitable mechanism is provided and it com-f prises a sliding bar 93vsupported in suitable brackets 94 on top of the casing, as shown in Fig.- 9, and this bar has secured toit a clutch' shifting arm 95 extending through a suitable open1ng96 in the casingjand engaging in the groovev 77. This br 93' vex- Itends beyond the disk 80, as shown in Figs.

97 adapted to engage in a cam groove 98 formed in the periphery of an arc-shaped member 99. This arc-shaped member is integral with a lever 100 which is keyed by means of a key 101 to a rockshaft 102provided at its inner end with a beveled gear 103 meshing with a beveled gear 104 secured to a treadle shaft 105 having a double arm treadle 106 extendingout at the front of the machine. rIhe arc-shaped member 99 is provided upon its inner face with a lug 107, shown in section in Fig. 9 and in dotted lines in Figs. 8 and 10, and this lug is adapted, at the proper time, to be engaged by one of the pins 82.

The groove 98 in uthe arc-shaped member is preferably spiral in its arrangement, as shown in Fig. 10, except for a portion at the center which is straight, and the arrangement of these parts is such that when the lever 100 is shifted in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 8, the bar 93 will be moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 9, the movement of the lever in the opposite direction causing the opposite movement of the bar 93.

The operation of this gearing is as follows: Assuming that the intermediate buckis thrown into engagement with the upper buck, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and that the power is transmitted .to the gears 67 and 70 such that they are driven in opposite directions, then 'the operator, by means'of the treadle, shifts the lever- 100 in a direction such that thebar 93 shifts the clutch member 76 into engagement with the proper one of these beveled gears. This causes the shaft'60tc rotate and the-cam 61 to engage one of the cam portions 53 and force the bucks into pressing engagement. The movement of the lever 100 is possible by reason of the fact that the pin 82 which is at that time in the position shown in Fig. 10, is

Vwithdrawn by reason of the engagement of the cam engaging head 84 with the cam 90. As soon, however, as the cam 60 has made a half turn the other pin 82 engages the lug 107 picking up the lever 100 and causing it to be rotated back to neutral position, which is that shown in Figs, 8 and 10. In doing this, however, the bar 93 is shifted, but the parts are so timed that the clutch engaging portions do not release until the pin, which is moving upward at that time is completely withdrawn. In this way the cam 61 stops in engagement with the cam 53 and holds the bucks together under pressure. The

operator then presses the same portion of the treadle, thus causing a similar "operation of the driving mechanism and bringing about a release of the intermediate buck.

When very thick Vfabric is to be pressed it is placed upon the intermediate buck 19 and operated upon by this buck and the upper buck and in order to relieve thetenthe fabric the tongue 42 is withdrawn by i operating the rod 43 forward a handle 44 at the forward end of the. machine being utilized forwthis purpose.

Having described my claim v 1. In a pressing machine, a pair of spaced bucks, a movable buck coperating with 'said spacedbucks, and freely movable into engagement with either, and pressure mechavnism for forcing the movable buck into pressing engagement with either buck. 2. A pressing machine, a pair of spaced bucks yieldingly mounted, an intermediate buck for cooperation therewith and movable into engagement with either, and means for forcing the intermediate buck'into pressing relationship with either of said 'spaced bucks. v l

3. i In a pressing machine, a pair of spaced bucks each having an ironing surface, an intermediate buck having an ironing surface on both of itsl sides, said surfaces coperat-4 ing with the ironing surfaces of the spaced bucks, and pressure mechanism for forcing invention, .I

the intermediate buck into ,pressing relationship with respect to either of the spaced bucks.

4. In a lpressing machine, a standard, a lower buck yieldingly mounted thereon and having an ironing surface upon' its`uppe1 face, an upper buck support yieldingly mounted, an upper buck carried thereby, an` e lower buck yieldingly mounted thereon and having an ironing surface upon its upper face, an upper .buck support yi-eldinglyl mounted, an` upper buck carried thereby, an intermediate 4buck coperating with the upper and lower bucks, means for supporting said intermediate buck whereby it may be shifted from the upper to the lower buck, means for forcing the intermediate buck into pressing relationship with either theupper or lower buck, 'and means for permitting the equalization of the upper and lower bucks with respect to the intermediate buck so thatthere willbe a uniform engagement of the ironing faces. n f

6. In a pressing machine, a frame, ral lower buck yieldingly mounted upon said frame, an upper buck"`supporting member mounted in' said frame, an upper buck. carried thereby, yielding connections between the upper buck support and the frame, an intermediate buck mounted to swing in an arc between the upper and lower-buks, and

sion on the spring 46 due to the thickness of means for forcing the intermediate buck fr130 into pressing engagement with either the upper-or lower buck.

'7. In a pressing machine, a frame, a lower buck yieldingly mounted upon said frame, an `upper buck supporting member mounted in said frame, an upper buck carried thereby, yielding connections between the upper buck support and the frame, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, an intermediate buck operatively connected to said roc-k shaft and adapted to swing between the upper and lower bucks, an operating lever for said rock shaft, and means for engaging the same to bring about a pressing relationship between the intermediate buck and either` of the upper and lower l bucks.

` 8. In a pressing machine, a frame, a lower buck yieldingly mounted upon Said frame, an upper buck supporting member mounted in said frame, an upper buck carried thereby, yielding connections between the upper buck vsupport and the frame, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, an intermediate buck operatively connected to said rock shaft and adapted to swing between the upper and lower bucks, an operating lever for said rock shaft, and means for engaging the same to bring about a pressing engagement between the intermediate buck and either of the upper and lower bucks and comprisinga rotatable cam, and a pair of cam shoes carried by said lever and adapted for coperation with the rotatable cam for bringing about a pressing relation of the intermediate buck with respect to the upper and lower bucks.

9. In a pressing machine, a frame, a lower buck yieldingly mounted upon the frame, a

rock shaft mounted on the frame, an upper buck supporting member mounted upon said rock shaft and having arms extending in two directions, an upper buck swiveled to the arm on one side of said shaft, a yielding connection between the frame and the other arm, an intermediate buck operatively connected to the rock shaft, an operating arm for said shaft, and means for engaging said operating arm for bringing about a v.buck supporting arms, between the holding arm and the frame and the rod for adjusting frame, a shaft mounted in the frame, an

upper buck operating lever having a pair of buck supporting arms and a holding arm, an upper buck pivotally connected to said a yielding connection comprising a rod engaging the holding arm, suitable stops carried by said rod above the arm, a spring below the arm, means upon the tension of the spring, connections between the rod and the frame and comprising a socket member, a head carried by said rod engaging 'l said socket member, said head having mvement in said socket, and means for varying such movement, an intermediate buck, and means for manipulating the same.

.11. In a pressingv machine, a frame, a lower buck yieldingly mounted upon the frame, a shaft mounted in the frame, an upper buck `voperating lever having 'a pair ofl buck supporting arms and a holding arm, an upper buck pivotally connected to the holding arm, the holding arm and the frame and compris-v ing a rod engaging the holding arm, a suitable stop 'carried by said rod above the arm, a spring below the arm, means upon the rod for adjusting the tension of the spring, and connections between and comprising a socket member, and a head carried by said rod engaging in said socket-member, said head havingmovement in said socket, -a slide 1in the socket member and adapted to engage under the headof said rod, an intermediate buck, and means for manipulating the same. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses as follows: l

y DANA. H. BENJAMIN.

Witnesses: v ALTON I-I. BEMIS,

1 C. H. SHOTZBARGER.

the rod and the frame a yielding connectionl between 

